The Royal Artificery Society - OOC

[Prehysterical]

Knowledge (History): (1d20+7)[20]
Knowledge (Local): (1d20+7)[24]

Does Bolten get a bonus for being a dwarf? I'm guessing that the dwarven clans of the Empire are a pretty tight-knit bunch.

[DeTess]

Does Bolten get a bonus for being a dwarf? I'm guessing that the dwarven clans of the Empire are a pretty tight-knit bunch.

Those rolls are plenty enough already without an extra ad-hoc bonus :P

Spoiler: extra information on clan Ironmonger

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Clan ironmonger holds a somewhat strange position among the dwarven Clans. On the one hand, they keep the other clans in the Barrier mountains safe from raids by Drow or other underdark denizens, and on the very are occasions that a raiding party or slaver manages to slip through, they'll move mountains to get back the things and people that have been taken.

On the other hand though... the dwarven clans tend to be very conservative. The dwarves in the clans tend to belief that there's an honorable way to go about things, and a wrong way. Clan Ironmonger bucks this trend, especially where warfare and diplomacy is concerned. Acts of espionage, sabotage and assassination are considered very dishonorable by most clans, yet clan Ironmonger uses all of these tools, and not just when dealing with the denizens of the Underdark. Their actions have made them the most powerful dwarven clan in the Barrier mountains, but they have few allies among the other clans.

However, all of this is part of the internal politics of the dwarven clans. Among the wider empire, clan Ironmonger is generally well regarded as they keep an important trading route safe and open. They've got a reputation for being ruthless in their dealings with others, but it's only by dwarven standards that they're considered an anomaly.

Also, this particular dwarves name sounds faintly familiar to Bolten, though you can't place it. (You did roll well, but the DC for figuring this one out is significantly higher for someone not born in the Underdark)

[WindStruck]

I also threw in a sense motive roll in my IC post for.. maybe a tiny bit more information.

Our knowledge rolls might give an idea for this guy in broad strokes but sense motive.. I hope 20+ will give me an idea for him individually.

[DeTess]

I also threw in a sense motive roll in my IC post for.. maybe a tiny bit more information.

Our knowledge rolls might give an idea for this guy in broad strokes but sense motive.. I hope 20+ will give me an idea for him individually.

Right, I'd spotted that. I want to give prehysterical a moment to post, and then I'll give you some information on your sense motive roll as well.

[DeTess]

@windstruck

Spoiler: sense motive

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There's something about this dwarf that reminds you of a dangerous predator, but you're not picking up on any killing intent coming from him. It seems he's really only after a quick chat with you guys.

[WindStruck]

Do you think I could try to cast investigative mind to try for that second knowledge roll, and see if I can actually remember something?

[DeTess]

Do you think I could try to cast investigative mind to try for that second knowledge roll, and see if I can actually remember something?

That spell is something you need to cast before making the roll if I'm not mistaken. When I ask for a roll you can then indicate you're first casting that spell, but unless you've got a way to hide the verbal and somatic components, it'll be obvious you're casting a spell of some sort, which might have consequences.

edit: though if you wish, you can roll me another perception.

[WindStruck]

Yeah I suppose that's fair. Though.. I should also mention the spell doesn't specifically say it has to be declared first, and it also apparently would have 6 uses for different checks before it expires. Maybe consuming all of them for one reroll would be fair...

On the other hand, maybe it's still not worth it. But I was thinking about casting the spell when you had first mentioned knowledge checks. However, at that time I was thinking casting a spell might be a bad idea. And you may be right.. if there's no way to hide the spell, there could still be some consequences.

Oh well. Maybe the guy will just enlighten us since Shandara asked, or if she really cared she could probably search for some news articles or documentaries about it later.

For now, will I see two or three other ninja dwarves in the shadows?

perception: (1d20+6)[11]

Well, I guess not.

[DeTess]

Well, I guess not.

Nope, sorry. No dwarven ninja's make themselves apparent to you. You do pick up on one more detail about the dwarf in front of you though, and that is that you can see a small part of a tattoo in his neck popping out over his collar. It's pretty much entirely hidden by his suit, but you now know there's something there.

[DeTess]

@windstruck, you may reroll your knowledge local check to see if you can figure out why that dwarves name sounds familiar to you if you wish.

[WindStruck]

Are you sure about that? I was seriously planning on just hitting up a library later for a bit if it bothered Shandara that much. (and perhaps it does)

I should not only be able to get a library bonus, but also legitimately reroll that twice.

[DeTess]

Are you sure about that? I was seriously planning on just hitting up a library later for a bit if it bothered Shandara that much. (and perhaps it does)

I should not only be able to get a library bonus, but also legitimately reroll that twice.

It's mostly as a result of the little tidbit he let slip. You can also leave it at that if you wish though, and do some research later. I'll leave that up to you.

[WindStruck]

Guess I'll try one more time.. then.. and probably prefer if Bolten answers this first.

local: (1d20+8)[19]

[DeTess]

@windstruck,

Spoiler: what Shandara has heard about Dukkear before coming to the surface

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Dukkear's mention of exaggerated stories finally allow you to make the connections. Dukkear of clan Ironmonger is a bit of an Underdark boogy-man, and a bit of a modern legend. A Dwarf that supposedly can go toe to toe with the very best of Drow assassins, and one that has pulled off many missions and supposedly wiped out a Noble house or two by himself.

He's supposedly well over five foot tall, with fires burning in his eyes due to the demonic pacts he's made to gain his exceptional skills. His hands are reportedly stained dark red with the blood of his many victims. Or to put it in other words, the Dukkear you'd heard off looks nothing like the one now standing in front of you now.

There many stories about him, some extremely outlandish (such as those relating to the aforementioned demonic pacts, claims that he took out 3 dozen skilled assassins send to take him down in a single ambush or the fact that he's supposedly married to a Drider), while other stories about him are somewhat more realistic, marking him as the leader of clan Ironmongers covert operations and a very skilled killer, unusually so by Dwarf standards, and still quite respectable by Drow standards.

[WindStruck]

Has Sønderjye still been around? I'm wondering if Z would like to get in on this meeting as well.

[Prehysterical]

Has Sønderjye still been around? I'm wondering if Z would like to get in on this meeting as well.

Not since the 7th. I'm hoping that life is okay and hasn't thrown a major curveball.

[DeTess]

Not since the 7th. I'm hoping that life is okay and hasn't thrown a major curveball.

Yeah, same here. And yes, Z's definitely welcome to join in on that if he's around by then.

edit: also, that stack of dice I rolled earlier were three stealth checks for some people you didn't see, 1 intimidation check and 3 checks to see if the sneaky people where suitably intimidated ('dbd' stood for 'don't be a dumbass'), which they were. If more than one had been unintimidated there would have been a short fight, Otherwise Dukkear would have sent the unlucky grunt packing before addressing you.

[WindStruck]

So SoHD might stand for Such a Huge Dumbass? But I have the a and o wrong.


Oh yeah, I'm still thinking about familiars. Maybe an owl would be really fitting since they are also nocturnal. And I mean, look how cute this is!



--

edit: Also wondering. Is the Xlotl's Nest in a bad part of town?

[DeTess]

So SoHD might stand for Such a Huge Dumbass? But I have the a and o wrong.

Nah, that was actually a sleight of hand check for Dukkear. If he'd needed to step in he'd have attempted to make it look like an accidental run in in the street (while disarming his target and leaving them with some really nasty bruises).

edit: Also wondering. Is the Xlotl's Nest in a bad part of town?

It's not in a good part of town, but also not in a bad part. It's on the edge of the harbor, near a district mostly inhabited by of reasonably well-to-do craftsman.

[WindStruck]

Quick question! Who is 'the other' that Bolten is talking about when he says "Then we can meet up for breakfast in the morning and make sure that the other is all right."

[Prehysterical]

Oh, must have been awkward phrasing on my part. He just meant that the two of them (Bolten and Shandara) would have breakfast together to make sure that no one got spirited away in the dark of the night.

[DeTess]

Anything else you two wanted to do this evening? Otherwise we'll skip over to the next morning.

[WindStruck]

I'd say we're good to go to the morning.

[Prehysterical]

I'm ready for the timeskip.

[WindStruck]

Oh, I've been putting this off:

Adda's Fury
Long Sword

A bejeweled sword with a lustrous, silvery sheen, tinged slightly gold. Named after a fallen arcanist, this weapon has but one purpose: to put down the anomalous threats known as the Deathless Kings - and to exact revenge. The workmanship is flawless, and it is far more durable than it looks.

Damage: 1d8+1 (2-9)
Critical: 19–20/×2
Type: Slashing, Magic
Material: Mithril-copper
Hardness: 14 + 5 magic
HP: 25

Undead Bane: This weapon excels at vanquishing undead. The weapon's enhancement bonus is +2 better than its actual bonus when fighting undead. It also deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against such foes.

Stored spells: The sword has 4 gems in the hilt, which contain magic power. Once the command word for a gem is spoken, the magic is released, and the next creature that the sword strikes is affected by the magic as if hit by a touch spell. As a full-round action, the wielder can activate a gem and make one attack. After one use, each gem is inert, but may be recharged with the appropriate magic ritual.

Dispel Positive Protection
CL 6th. Abjuration. Duration: Instantaneous.
Saving throw: none. Spell Resistance: no
This is magic designed to uniquely counter and dispel other magic effects which would protect the subject from positive energy effects.

Dispel Soul Bind
CL 8th. Abjuration. Duration: Instantaneous.
Saving throw: none. Spell Resistance: no
This is magic designed to uniquely counter and dispel other magic effects which would keep the subject's soul tethered to the material plane.

Positive Energy Vulnerability
CL 6th. Abjuration. Duration: 6 minutes.
Saving throw: Will DC 18. Spell Resistance: no
This magic is the opposite of protection. A magical barrier surrounds the target, which allows positive energy in, but not out. Creatures exposed to positive energy effects treat those effects as maximized and are considered vulnerable (+50% damage), and any positive energy effects do not naturally dissipate until this spell ends.

Positive Energy Torrent
CL 6th. Evocation. Duration: 2 rounds.
Saving throw: none. Spell Resistance: yes
This magic unleashes a chaotic torrent of positive energy. Once released, the energy cannot be held and must be used immediately. The wielder of this weapon receives 3d6 HP of positive energy, and any excess HP are temporary HP for up to one minute. When the weapon strikes a target, that target receives 6d10 HP of positive energy. During the next round, these effects are halved. If the weapon is already lodged in a target when activated, all positive energy (12d10) goes into the target instead (and again, these are halved on the 2nd round).

I was kind of just making these stat blocks for fun, but let me know if you'd like any numbers or effects tweaked.

As a note: since we are E6, I notice that even effects like Undead Bane say they require a CL 8. I'm assuming since you gave the okay for undead bane, that maybe artificery works differently, and with a high enough spellcraft check and/or cooperation with other mages, it's possible to achieve effects that are considered higher than CL 6.

edit: ... This weapon is so very close to having 20 hardness, which would be hard enough so that adamantine can't damage it easily. I'm a bit disappointed in that. Maybe I can retroactively ask if I could improve its hardness by +6..

[WindStruck]

I'm ready for the timeskip.

Okay. I wonder what will happen! This is supposed to be day 2.

day 2: Carnival and games. There'll be shows showing off all kinds of daring stunts and exotic animals, as well as both casual carnival games, and more serious contests of athletic skill.
Night 2: general festivities (drinking, eating, having fun)


Lots of sights and games.. and nothing really academic, I assume. It may just be a good day to stay home.. or only stick to the good parts of town.

[DeTess]

Oh, I've been putting this off:



I was kind of just making these stat blocks for fun, but let me know if you'd like any numbers or effects tweaked.

As a note: since we are E6, I notice that even effects like Undead Bane say they require a CL 8. I'm assuming since you gave the okay for undead bane, that maybe artificery works differently, and with a high enough spellcraft check and/or cooperation with other mages, it's possible to achieve effects that are considered higher than CL 6.

Looks nice. Also, don't worry about the caster level, that's not actually a hard requirement in the pathfinder crafting system (it helps set the DC, nothing more). The spell associated with it is actually summon monster 1, which is definitely available.

I'll have a post introducing the next day up hopefully some time tomorrow, but If I don't manage it then there's a good chance I won't have it up any earlier than next week, sorry.

[Prehysterical]

Just FYI, I am finding myself hosting my grandfather at my place this weekend, so replies will be nonexistent until Tuesday. I wish I could have given more warning, but you are only getting slightly less than I did.

[WindStruck]

Okay. Well have fun with that.

Hey DeTess. Shandara is probably planning to be back at her home around 10 am to try to actually rest. In the mean time between breakfast and then, I am wondering if she can buy a light crossbow and maybe something else to check on that owl.

I figure that she's going to be paranoid and try to see if that owl has magic on it or is someone's familiar. Or if not.. well, then that gives her a great idea. If the owl isn't someone's familiar, maybe she should turn it into hers instead. But how to catch the owl?

[DeTess]

Okay. Well have fun with that.

Hey DeTess. Shandara is probably planning to be back at her home around 10 am to try to actually rest. In the mean time between breakfast and then, I am wondering if she can buy a light crossbow and maybe something else to check on that owl.

I figure that she's going to be paranoid and try to see if that owl has magic on it or is someone's familiar. Or if not.. well, then that gives her a great idea. If the owl isn't someone's familiar, maybe she should turn it into hers instead. But how to catch the owl?

Getting your hands on a light crossbow shouldn't be much of an issue. If you want we can play through that, but it's not a aprticularly tricky weapon to get unless you're looking for all kinds of fancy features. How difficult getting 'something else' would be depends :P